'Why we fled from our holiday hell'

A COUPLE feared for their lives after they were booked into a hotel in what they described as a dangerous drugs ghetto in South Africa. David and Pauline Thompson said the Cape Town resort was a crime-ridden city suburb teeming with prostitutes, homeless people and gangs.

A COUPLE feared for their lives after they were booked into a hotel in what they described as a dangerous drugs ghetto in South Africa.

David and Pauline Thompson said the Cape Town resort was a crime-ridden city suburb teeming with prostitutes , homeless people and gangs on street corners.

After six days in Sea Point - described in their travel brochure as "cosmopolitan and vibrant" - they say they were threatened by a gang of carjackers who tried to snatch their hire car.

"I feared for my life," said Mrs Thompson. "Some men directed us into a car space, but once we had parked they wanted our car keys and we drove off with the doors open."

Now the couple plan legal action against Sale-based travel firm CT2, and are seeking £4,000 compensation. "It was very frightening," said a distraught Mrs Thompson. "We actually saw people beaten up. I would cling to David as we walked down the street. The whole area seemed to be run by gun and drug dealers."

The couple paid £3,000 for the two-week holiday over the New Year, but ended up forking out an extra £400 to leave the resort early.

They say they have since discovered that the area where they were staying has a well-established reputation in South Africa for being a centre for violent crime.

Mrs Thompson said: "It's not right that they are sending people there. What would have happened if there had been children or elderly parents with us?

Ruined

"I am angry that CT2 has been allowed to promote such a dangerous place. I was deceived by the brochure. It re-assured me they had 21 years experience.

"Now I discover that CT2 have only 12 months experience of South Africa and that Sea Point has long had a high crime rate.

"It ruined our whole Christmas and New Year. We run our own business and only get two weeks off a year and save all year to afford it."

Stella Donnelly, commercial director of CT2, said the company had not received complaints from any of the other 100 holidaymakers they had staying at Sea Point.

She said: "We sympathise with the Thompsons, but it would appear that their fear of crime may have outweighed the actual risk.

"As the Foreign Office points out, where crime does occur in South Africa, it is focused mainly on townships and isolated areas, and the risks to holidaymakers visiting the main destinations such as Cape Town are low.

"We advise holidaymakers to apply their common sense and act appropriately during their stay, as we would anyone visiting any of the world's major cities.

"We are also perplexed that the Thompson's failed to report details of the alleged incident in the car park to our resort representative or make reference to it in two letters sent to us in January and February.

"Indeed, in her first letter to us Mrs Thompson states she and her husband were `grateful we were only witnesses and not victims', a statement which is clearly at odds with what is now being stated via a court claim, details of which we only received on March 18."